Gen Z's 'Nigella Lawson' is social media's new favourite nutritionist
Anyone who has spent even a few minutes on FoodTok must have come across a plethora of delicious, nutrient-dense recipes by a nutritionist dubbed Generation Z’s answer to Nigella Lawson at some point.
The latter, who rose to fame in the late 1990s, was recently announced as Dame Prue Leith’s replacement on The Great British Bake Off, with co-host Alison Hammond already teasing the ‘chemistry’ between the 66-year-old and Paul Hollywood.
However, the 2020s are firmly being dominated by another marvel, who, despite not yet having her own TV show, is a This Morning regular, recently celebrated the release of her third cookbook, So Good Express: Quick, nutritious food for a busy life, and has amassed a whopping 3.17 million followers and counting across Instagram and TikTok.
The two-time Sunday Times bestseller also has partnerships with Marks and Spencer, All Things Dairy, and Le Creuset under her belt, and founded the British gut health supplement brand, Epetōme, back in 2023.
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Introducing Emily English: the 30-year-old food expert known as her online moniker, Em the Nutritionist.
Over the last five years, the former Deliveroo kitchen owner has slowly but surely led the charge for the healthy, pre-able midweek meal while turning the anti-carb rhetoric on its head.
English’s easy-to-follow recipes, often based around pasta, pitta breads, gnocchi, potatoes, rice, and tortilla wraps, are often rich in protein and full of flavour.
She’s also not afraid of whacking her nutrient-dense items in the air fryer, and you’ll always catch her indulging in a sweet treat, with every clip being signed off by her ‘so good’ signature.
In an interview with The Times, English explained that by setting up her iPhone and showing her die-hard fans what she eats in a day (WIEIAD, as it's known online), she’s helping her community - including fans Made in Chelsea’s Millie Mackintosh and Deliciously Ella - fix their relationship with food.
“What I do is create food that you want to eat, but has been designed with nutrition in mind,” the UK star explained to the publication.
“I want you to look forward to every single plate. I want to bridge the gap between the science of nutrition and what actually tastes good. Because I love food. I love eating. I love restaurants.”
She added that she feels ‘really passionately’ about stopping comments about how women look.
“At the end of the day I cook food, make delicious free recipes, and so if you don’t want to make my tuna melt toast, just f*** off. You don’t have to follow me.”
And what does the qualified nutritionist think about those Lawson comparisons?
“I’m her stan. I just love her and I take so much inspiration from her,” the social media star told Tatler.
“My wish is to be a hybrid between Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson with a good dash of myself.’
She added that she hoped she could follow in the new GGBO host’s steps without having to ‘reinvent the wheel’.
“What I take from Nigella is her passion and love for good food and not being afraid to be exactly who she is. She owned her space. When you say Nigella Lawson you don’t just think of the food you think of the person.”
English’s latest cookbook, So Good Express, promises to blend the culinary queen’s ‘sound’ nutrition advice with delicious recipes that show food can ‘make you feel amazing and bring joy’.
“Blending her nutrition expertise with a love of simple, fresh food, Emily redefines healthy eating for real life. The result is over 80 fast and flavourful recipes designed to fuel your body, lift your mood and fit effortlessly into your busy life,” an official synopsis reads.
Recipes include energising pre-work breakfasts, simple and satisfying snacks and sweets, grab-and-go lunches, dinner staples.
“So Good Express will soon become your go-to for nutritionally-balanced, speedy solutions that you'll turn to time and time again, because they're just so good,” the synopsis added.
Topics: Celebrity, Cooking, Social Media, Instagram
Ella Scott